Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A structural optimization device comprising: a CPU; and a storage device configured with: a design domain data storage part that stores design domain data indicating a design domain for a structure; and a level set function data storage part that stores level set function data that indicates a level set function that indicates whether each part of the design domain where an initial structure is set corresponds to a material domain where a structure is formed, a void domain where a void is formed, or a boundary between the void domain and material domain, wherein a predetermined value between a value representing the material domain and a value representing the void domain represents a boundary of the structure; wherein the CPU is configured to execute a level set function update part that, under a predetermined constraint condition, updates the level set function so as to bring a performance of the structure close to a target value, moves the boundary between the void domain and the material domain, allows a change in topology in the material domain to form a new void domain in the material domain, the change in topology being associated with the update of the level set function, and moves a boundary between the new void domain and the material domain; wherein the level set function update part has an intermediate structure in which a number of holes of the void domain and new void domain is greater than a number of holes of the void domain of the initial structure; wherein the level set function update part updates the level set function such that a degree of complexity indicating a structural complexity of a structure obtained as a result of updating the level set function is made to approach a preset degree of complexity, and a complexity degree coefficient which indicates the preset degree of complexity is set variably; and wherein the level set function update part is configured to receive user input for the design domain data and the level set function data, and output a result on a display associated with the structural optimization device.
2. The structural optimization device according to claim 1 , wherein the level set function update part calculates, from an energy functional indicated by a function family using the level set function as a variable, an energy density in the material domain, an energy density in the void domain, and an interface energy density, and, according to an energy functional minimization principle, calculates a reaction-diffusion equation indicating a time evolution of the level set function, uses the reaction-diffusion equation to evolve the level set function in time, and thereby updates the level set function.
3. A structural optimization method comprising: a design domain data inputting step of inputting design domain data indicating a design domain for a structure into a computer by input means; a level set function inputting step of inputting level set function data into a computer by input means, the level set function data indicating whether each part of the design domain where an initial structure is set corresponds to a material domain where a structure is formed, a void domain where a void is formed, or a boundary between these two domains, wherein a predetermined value between a value representing the material domain and a value representing the void domain represents the boundary; and a level set function update step that, under a predetermined constraint condition, updates the level set function so as to bring a performance of the structure close to a target value by a level set function update part that is executed by the computer, and moves the boundary between the material domain and the void domain, allows a change in topology in the material domain to form a new void domain in the material domain, the change in topology being associated with the update of the level set function, and moves a boundary between the new void domain and the material domain, wherein the level set function update part updates the level set function such that a degree of complexity indicating a structural complexity of a structure obtained as a result of updating the level set function is made to approach a preset degree of complexity, and a complexity degree coefficient which indicates the preset degree of complexity is set variably.
4. A structural optimization program stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium and executed on a computer, which upon execution causes the computer to perform the following functions: a design domain data storage part that stores design domain data indicating a design domain for a structure; a level set function data storage part that stores level set function data that indicates a level set function that indicates whether each part of the design domain where an initial structure is set corresponds to a material domain where a structure is formed, a void domain where a void is formed, or a boundary between these two domains, wherein a predetermined value between a value representing the material domain and a value representing the void domain represents the boundary; and a level set function update part that, under a predetermined constraint condition, updates the level set function so as to bring a performance of the structure close to a target value, and moves the boundary between the material domain and the void domain, allows a change in topology in the material domain to form a new void domain in the material domain, the change in topology being associated with the update of the level set function, and moves a boundary between the new void domain and the material domain, wherein the level set function update part updates the level set function such that a degree of complexity indicating a structural complexity of a structure obtained as a result of updating the level set function is made to approach a preset degree of complexity, and a complexity degree coefficient which indicates the preset degree of complexity is set variably.
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July 14, 2015
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